Heel for boots and shoes



Feb. 11, 1930.. c. ROBERTS 1,746,282

' HEEL FOR BOOTS AND SHOES Filed May 1, 191 5 2 Sheets-Sheet l Feb 11, 1930.

c. ROBERTS "1,746,282

HEEL FOR BOOTS AND SHOES Filed y 1925 a Sheets-Sheet 2 \%imY//////////////////////Aw//z I fizz/922E02 WAS 3.3:;

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Patented Feb. '11, 1930 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE CLIFFORD ROBERTS, OF REIGATE, ENGLAND, ASSIGNOR TO UNITED SHOE MACHINERY V CORPORATION, OF PATERSON, NEW JERSEY, A CORPORATION 01' NEW JERSEY HEEL FOR BOOTS AND SHOES Application filed May 1,

The present invention relates to resilient tread members for boots and shoes and more particularly to heel members designed for attachment to a boot or shoe either as a whole heel, half heel or tread lift.

The conventional type of resilient heel member employs aseries of nail retaining devices in the form of washers embedded in a predetermined arrangement within the body of the heel. Due to certain practical disadvantages incident to the employment of these washers, it has been suggested that heels of this type be provided with a nail retaining core embedded in the body of the heel adjacent the attaching face and serving as a medium through which the heels may be attached to a boot or shoe. The use of such a nail retaining core permits the attaching nails to be inserted in any desired arrangement within the area circumscribed by the core and provides a substantially unyielding heel base in contact with the supporting surface of the boot or shoe. This type of heel, however,

requires a core which is capable of penetration by the attaching nails, which will not permit withdrawal of the attaching nails therethrough as the result of strains imposed upon it during the wear of the heel, and which may be bonded to the heel body in such a manner that the resilient body portion of the heel will not be separated therefrom during use. This necessarily involves careful selection of the nail retaining core with attendant increased expense.

It is the object of the present invention to improve resilient tread members in a manner to retain certain of the advantages of an unyielding core while at the same time permitting the employment of relatively cheaper materials for this purpose.

Inaddition it is a further object of the invention to provide an improved form of resilient tread member having an unyielding core adjacent the attaching face combined with nail retaining devices which insure against withdrawal or loosening of the holding nails after the attachment of the heel member to a boot or shoe.

According to the present invention, the heel member is provided with a resilient body 1925. Serial No. 27,125.

portion having an unyielding core embedded therein adjacent the attaching face. Cooperating with the core are a plurality of eyelets or washers which serve as nail holding devices and relieve the core of the strains ordinarily imposed thereon through the attaching nails. By employing the core merely as a filler and base member, relatively cheat material may be employed such as fibe .I

leather-board, or a single sheet of wood, cer

formation of the heel body and remain em;

bedded in the heel body independently of the core which is located in proximity to the at-.

taching face of the heel. The finished heel is in all respects the equal of the usual resilient heel having. embedded washers or similar nail retaining devices with the additional advantage due to an embedded unyielding core located at the attaching face and forming a rigid base for supporting the heelafter its attachment to a boot or shoe.

In the accompanying drawings illustrating the preferred form of the invention, Fig. 1

is a plan view of the attaching face of a heel embodying the features of the invention Fig. 2 is a section in elevation of the heel shown in Fig. 1 enclosed in a suitable forming mold; Fig. 3 is a plan view of a core having a series of eyelets embedded therein in predetermined arrangement; Fig. 4 is a cross section of the core shown in Fig. 3; Fig. 5 is a plan view of a womans top lift embodying the features of the invention in a slightlymodified form; Fig. 6 is a cross section of the heel shown in Fig. 5; Figs. 7 and 8 are a plan view and cross section respectively of a core provided with embedded eyelets; Fig. 9 is a view partially in section illustrating the parts of a heel partially enclosed in a forming ner in which the core is forced to the bottom of the mold and the eyelets are separated from the core andcaused to remain embedded midway of the depth of the heel; Fig. 11 is a Ian new of the heel formed as illustrated in Fig. 10; and Fi 12 is a cross section of the heel shown in ig. 11.

As illustrated more particularly in Figs. 1 to 4 inclusive, the present form of heel comprises a core member 20, which is preferably constructed of a cheap material, such as fiber, leather-board, or wood having the desirable sup ortin qualities. This core has a general y hee shaped outline and is ehamfered about the margin at 22 to promote the bond between the core and body of the heel. Prior to the introduction of the core into the heel mold, a series of eyelets 24 of conventional form are inserted in the bod of the core with the upper funnel shaped eads projecting from thf core. These eyelets may be quickly and easily inserted in a predetermined arrangement by machine. After the formation and loading of the core with eyelets or washers, the core is assembled in a heel mold having a bottom plate 26, a top plate 28, and an intermediate portion 30. The bottom plate of the heel mold is shaped to form the attaching face of the heel and may be provided with locating pins 32 which register with recesses 34 formed in the core to hold the latter in position durin the vulcanizing operation. A rubber blan of suitable size and shape is superimposed over the core and after application to the top plate the assembly is subjected to heat and pressure in the usual manner. This causes the rubber compound to flow about the core and nail retainlng eyelets, as indicated in Fig. 2, the finished heel having a resilient body portion with an unyielding core embedded therein at the attaching face and a series of-nail holding washers embedded in the body portion according to a predetermined location. The location of the nail retaining devices within the body of the heel may be indicated, if so desired, by a series of guide projections 42 formed on the top plate of the mold and serving to form guide openings or depressions in the tread face of the finished heel, these openings registering with the nail retaining washersembedded within the heel. As indicated more particularly in Figs. 1 and 2, the attaching face of the heel is provided with a fin or marginal portion 44, which extends inwardly over the core from the.outer edge and serves to enhance the bond betweenthe as no strain is imposed upon the core tending to withdraw it from the surrounding body portion a relatively slight bond beresilient body of the heel independently of the core, due to'the flow of the rubber compound between the flaring heads of the eyelets and the adjacentface of the core.

In the form of heel shown in Figs. 5 and 6, the core 20 is embedded at the attaching face of the usual body portion 40 and is provided with a single embedded eyelet-24 for the reception of an attaching nail. The attachment of this type of heel'is ordinarily accomplished through the employment of a single attachin nail or screw supplemented by the use of blind nails to prevent turning of the heel with respect to the shoe heel.

If so desired, the form of heel may be slightly varied from that shown in Figs. 1 to 4 inclusive without departing from the essential features of the invention. In the form of heel shown in Figs. 7 to 12 inclusive, the nail retaining eyelets 24 may be embedded flush with the core 20, as indicated clearly in Fig. 8. The core is located on shouldered mold pins 60 mounted in the bottom plate 62 and initially holding the core above the bottom of the mold through the engagement of the embedded eyelets with the shoulders 64 formed upon the mold pins. After the rubber blank 66 has been superimposed over the core and the top plate 70 of the mold ap lied, the core is forced downwardly over the s oul- 'ders of the mold ins into the position shown in Fig. 10. In t llS position, the eyelets are disengaged from the core and remain embedded in the heel body midway between the top and bottom. The openings formed in the core through the embedding of the eyelets therein are of sufficient size to permit the core to be forced down to the bottom of the mold cavity without injury. With this form of heel, as shown more particularly in Fig. 10, a rigid unyielding core or base member 20 is located at the attaching face of the heel and in addition the nail retaining washers or eyelets 24 are embedded within the heel independentl of the core, the location of these washers eing indicated by guide openings or depressions 42, as shown in Fig. 2. Thls method of forming the heel has the advantage that the location of the washers with res ect to the depth of the heel may be controlle independently of the thickness of the core, the location of these washers being obviously governed by the projection of the mold pins. This construction has the further advantage that the locking of the washers within the resilient heel body isvefi'ected independently of the initial insertion of the washers within the core or carrier.

It will be evident that, according to either of the methods disclosed, the nail retaining washers may be easily embedded within the core, providing only that the core is composed of a material penetrable by the washers or eyelets and serving to hold the washers or eyelets temporarily 1n position I during the 5 .lfianldling of the ,core and the formation of the I claim: 1. A heel member comprising a body portion of resilient material, an unyielding core embedded in the body portion-adjacent the attaching face, and a series of metallic nail retaining devices embedded within the body portion of the heel below the attaching face.

2. A heel member comprising a resilient body portion, a heelsha ed core of unyielding material embedded in the body portion adjacent the attaching face, and a series of nail retaining devices embedded in the body portion beneath the core.

3. A heel member comprisin a body portion of resilient material, a hedl shaped core of unyielding material embedded in the body portion adjacent the attaching face, and a series of nail retainin devices having tubular shank portions an flaring head portions embedded inthe resilient body portion below the attaching face.

4. A heel member comprisin a body portion of resilient material, a bee shaped core of unyielding material embedded in the body ortion adjacent the attaching face and havmg a chamfered margin, a marginal flange extending inwardly from the body portion over the chamfered margin of the core at the attaching face, and a series of nail retaining devices embedded in the resilient body portion below the attaching face.

5. A heel member comprising a generally heel shaped core of unyielding material, and

a metallic nail retaining device having a tubular shank portion and a flaring head portion partiall embedded in the core.

I 6. A eel member com rising a generally heel shaped core of unyielding material, and

a series of metallic nail retaining devices partially embedded in the core.

, 7 A heel member comprising a body ortion of resilient material, a core of unyiel ing material embedded in the body portion adjacent the attaching face and onded thereto during the vulcanizing operation, and a se ries o eyelets embedded 1n the core.

In testimony whereof I have signed my name to this specification.

CLIFFORD ROBERTS. 

